The invention relates to a method of and to an apparatus for assembling discrete articles into arrays wherein the articles are distributed in a predetermined formation, and for manipulating the arrays. More particularly, the invention relates to improvements in methods of and in apparatus for transporting articles (such as packets of cigarettes or other smokers' products) from a supplying unit (such as a cellophaning machine) to a receiving unit, e.g., to a cartoner.
It is often necessary to couple a supplying unit, which delivers discrete articles, with a receiving or processing unit which must manipulate arrays of articles. The establishment of a reliable link or coupling between such units presents many problems, especially if the output of the supplying unit does not match the requirements of the receiving unit. For example, the requirements of a receiving unit will exceed the output of the supplying unit if the supplying unit is temporarily operated at less than nominal speed, if it is necessary to segregate defective articles from the path which leads from the supplying unit to the receiving unit and/or if the output of the supplying unit is less than the output of the receiving unit even while the supplying unit is operated at full speed. As a rule, presently known apparatus for coupling such supplying and receiving units employ magazines which contain groups of spare articles and serve to deliver spare articles when the output of the supplying unit cannot meet the requirements of the receiving unit, or to accept a portion of the output of the supplying unit if such output exceeds the requirements of the receiving unit. The magazines contribute to the bulk, initial and maintenance cost of the production line.